It’s no secret that Shakespeare
liked to write about the relationship between men and women and how their
gender roles take an active part in the goings on of the rising action and
conflict whether it was in his tragedies or comedies. In Elizabethan England,
where each part was played by a man, the perception of the female characters
might have come across as a parody or caricature. But what if the company of
actors were a troupe of women? Would Benedict still be a stubborn romantic
opposite to Beatrice’s headstrong attitude? How would Don Jon’s snide
manipulation come across, if played by a woman? Would Claudio and Hero’s
against-all-odds conflict still hold the same effect when two women play the
parts? Looking for Lilith’s all female production of Much Ado about Nothing
proves that whether or not these roles were played by men or women, the games
of the heart are universally non-gendered.

With a stripped down, bare bones set consisting of a ladder and some blocks, director
Kathi E.B. Ellis incorporates elements of Greek theater into her production.
Prefacing each scene with a brief tableau using various animal masks that hang
from the upstage wall and a placard with a quote from the corresponding scene,
the concept makes the language of the play more relatable to those who might be
afraid of the Bard’s verse. A smart and clever tactic to incorporate for sure,
this theme fell flat at times in such a small space. This production is held in
the Alley Theater’s small black box which didn’t always allow for a quick
transition between tableau and scene. Regardless of this minor setback,
incorporating the tableaus and masks prompted me to ask more questions
regarding Shakespeare script: questions about which character is being honest,
who’s tricking whom and who’s hiding from themselves.

Taking such questions into consideration, the individual performances come to
mind. As the squabbling couple, Beatrice and Benedict, Shannon Woolley Allison
and Karole Spangler are tricked into believing that they love one another but
here’s the truth: they really do! Allison and Spangler have a beautiful
chemistry as the comedic lovers. Allison’s Beatrice is sassy and smart while
Spangler’s Benedict is a strong yet foolish in the ways of romance. Watching
these two bicker back and forth is just as fun as watching them fall in love.
Dawn Schulz plays Claudio and Natalie Fields plays Don Pedro, friends of
Benedict. These ladies provide very strong performances as a couple of
gentlemen playing with love. The secret to capturing the masculine nature of
these characters was not to focus on “being male” but to bring the non-gendered
aspects to life. Fields and Schulz prove that gender doesn’t matter when
portraying men in love or men seeking to trick fools into love.

Other notable performances belong
to Laura Ellis in a cartoonish take on the constable, Dogberry. Her vocal twang
and pelvic-led struts were juxtaposed against Spangler’s subtle portrayal of a
traditional male role. Janelle-Renee Hunnicutt as Don John was conniving and
malicious. Arguably, her portrayal of the ever stoic and cruel bastard brother
of Don Pedro was perhaps the most indefinable of the gender roles both in
Shakespeare’s script and in director Ellis’ production.

Looking for Lilith has assembled
a finely crafted production of Much Ado about Nothing, a comedy that
showcases the struggles and victories of characters finding the balance of male
and female gender roles inside their relationships with
each other.

Much Ado about Nothing

October 4-6, 11-13 @ 7:30pm

Looking for Lilith Theater
Company at
The Alley Theater
1205 East Washington Street

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